Modern automobiles have a plethora of buttons for controlling various accessories and automotive functions. As the number of buttons increases, it is necessary to identify each button to drivers and passengers so as to avoid confusion. In addition, as the number of buttons increases, space constraints and ergonomic considerations have resulted in indicia being placed on the buttons themselves. Since automobiles are driven at night as well as during the day it is, of course, preferable to illuminate the indicia so as to be readily seen and understood at a glance by a driver or passenger. By illuminating indicia, mistakes and confusion may be avoided which enable the driver to more easily concentrate his or her attention on driving the automobile instead of being distracted by other concerns.
When illuminating rocker buttons, it is highly desirable to avoid leakage of light around the button. If all of the light emitted by a rocker button is transmitted only through the indicia, then it is more likely that the button will function as an accurate target. Moreover, light leaks over an entire instrument panel may create a blurring effect which results in confusion that adds to driver irritation and dissatisfaction. Accordingly, manufacturers use flexible seals to isolate light sources so that the light sources project light only through the rocker button indicia.
The current practice of using resilient seals is relatively expensive due to relatively high tooling costs, piece costs and assembly costs. In addition, flexible seals result in numerous misbuilds due to seal misalignment. Since there are millions of rocker buttons with illuminated indicia, elimination of resilient light seals while retaining their function in other structures would result in considerable savings in production costs. One accessory, which utilizes rocker buttons in the form of rocker buttons with light seals is the car radio. A car radio may have more than one rocker button and if a rocker button leaks light or is improperly seated, then as assembled radio must be disassembled and the rocker button repaired or replaced before the radio can be shipped. Accordingly, increasing the reliability of light seals on rocker buttons used with radios will result in savings in the production costs of vehicles. The problems occurring in light seals in radio rocker buttons are exemplary of the light seal problem for other rocker buttons which an instrument panel or other rocker button panel, such as a window operating panel, might employ.